Gabonese primary and secondary school students have launched a non-governmental organization, the Movement of the Young People for Social Welfare (MJBES) to primarily cater for street children, their education but more so their reintegration into the society, the local press reported Sunday.

"Every human being must enjoy the most fundamental rights: the right to health, the right to education, in short, the right to life," Gildas Elfred Tsoumbou, president-founder of the NGO told the press.

According to Tsoumbou, the MJBES will be led by young volunteers who are committed to the improvement of the living conditions of abandoned children, also known as street children.

In Gabon, the number of street children has reached worrying proportions. Very early in the morning, one can meet street children milling around the large markets where they generally spend the night. During the day, they beg in front of department stores and at bus stops.

Many Togolese associations and NGOs have chosen to direct their energies to the protection of the rights of the child and in particular the street children.

Source: Xinhua